First Advisor
Correa-Torrez, Silvia
Document Type
Dissertation
Date Created
12-2021
Department
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Special Education, Special Education Student Work
Abstract
Brain-based visual impairment is the leading cause of visual impairment in early childhood populations in the developed world and its contribution to childhood visual impairment is increasing (Bosch et al., 2014; Dutton & Bax, 2010; Hoyt, 2007; Kong et al., 2012; Kran et al., 2019). In order to meet the needs of this population, comprehensive assessment that includes information from families and caregivers, pediatric ophthalmologists, neurodevelopmental specialists, vision professionals, and education teams is crucial for academic and functional success (Lueck & Dutton, 2015). Family input during the special education process and the transfer of knowledge from the clinical to the educational setting that the parent provides is also vital for this population. While parent participation is a mandated feature of special education programming development, parents of children with special needs (including those with visual disability) do not always participate to the extent the law presumes. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine the experiences of 3 participants who are mothers of children with this visual impairment, bounded together by their shared experiences at a large children’s hospital in a city in the United States and participation in their children’s special education programming. The researcher explored the experiences of participants in both the clinical and educational environments and ultimately their feelings on the adequacy and effectiveness of their children’s educational programming relative to their visual disability. The results from this study revealed valuable information on the multitude of roles that mothers play across the physical, social, and emotional spaces in the lives of their children. Since comprehensive assessment and specific programming is crucial for the success of students with CVI, the results of this study helped to construct a more comprehensive picture of the outcomes of clinical and educational assessment and opportunities for collaboration with parents and families of children with CVI. It also provided a better understanding of the challenges families face, lack of resources on CVI, and a lack of qualified personnel in the field.
Extent
250 pages
Local Identifiers
Furze_unco_0161D_10988.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
Furze, Melody Zagami, "Understanding Mother’s Perceptions on Assessment And Educational Programming for Their Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment" (2021). Dissertations. 786.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/786